Security for the Industrial IoT: The Case for Information-Centric Networking

Industrial production plants traditionally include sensors for monitoring or documenting processes, and actuators for enabling corrective actions in cases of misconfigurations, failures, or dangerous events. With the advent of the IoT, embedded controllers link these `things' to local networks that often are of low power wireless kind, and are interconnected via gateways to some cloud from the global Internet. Inter-networked sensors and actuators in the industrial IoT form a critical subsystem while frequently operating under harsh conditions. It is currently under debate how to approach inter-networking of critical industrial components in a safe and secure manner. In this paper, we analyze the potentials of ICN for providing a secure and robust networking solution for constrained controllers in industrial safety systems. We showcase hazardous gas sensing in widespread industrial environments, such as refineries, and compare with IP-based approaches such as CoAP and MQTT. Our findings indicate that the content-centric security model, as well as enhanced DoS resistance are important arguments for deploying Information Centric Networking in a safety-critical industrial IoT. Evaluation of the crypto efforts on the RIOT operating system for content security reveal its feasibility for common deployment scenarios.Comment: To be published at IEEE WF-IoT 201

Fog-enabled Edge Learning for Cognitive Content-Centric Networking in 5G

By caching content at network edges close to the users, the content-centric networking (CCN) has been considered to enforce efficient content retrieval and distribution in the fifth generation (5G) networks. Due to the volume, velocity, and variety of data generated by various 5G users, an urgent and strategic issue is how to elevate the cognitive ability of the CCN to realize context-awareness, timely response, and traffic offloading for 5G applications. In this article, we envision that the fundamental work of designing a cognitive CCN (C-CCN) for the upcoming 5G is exploiting the fog computing to associatively learn and control the states of edge devices (such as phones, vehicles, and base stations) and in-network resources (computing, networking, and caching). Moreover, we propose a fog-enabled edge learning (FEL) framework for C-CCN in 5G, which can aggregate the idle computing resources of the neighbouring edge devices into virtual fogs to afford the heavy delay-sensitive learning tasks. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to jointly processing sensed environmental data, dealing with the massive content statistics, and enforcing the mobility control at network edges, the FEL makes it possible for mobile users to cognitively share their data over the C-CCN in 5G. To validate the feasibility of proposed framework, we design two FEL-advanced cognitive services for C-CCN in 5G: 1) personalized network acceleration, 2) enhanced mobility management. Simultaneously, we present the simulations to show the FEL's efficiency on serving for the mobile users' delay-sensitive content retrieval and distribution in 5G.Comment: Submitted to IEEE Communications Magzine, under review, Feb. 09, 201

A Layered Software Architecture for the Management of a Manufacturing Company

In this paper we describe a layered software architecture in the management of a manufactur-ing company that intensively uses computer technology. Application tools, new and legacy, after the updating, operate in a context of an open web oriented architecture. The software architecture enables the integration and interoperability among all tools that support business processes. Manufacturing Executive System and Text Mining tools are excellent interfaces, the former both for internal production and management processes and the latter for external processes coming from the market. In this way, it is possible to implement, a computer integrated factory, flexible and agile, that immediately responds to customer requirements.ICT, Service Oriented Architecture, Web Services, Computer-Integrated Factory, Application Software

What Works? How Federal Contractors are Implementing Section 503: Survey Report

In September 2013, The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) published the final rule making changes to the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 503). In March 2014, new regulations went into effect, setting new requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors, related to non-discrimination and affirmative action in the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities. For example, contractors now are required to offer applicants and employees the opportunity to self-identify as a person with a disability and further to use the data collected to understand their progress toward a 7% utilization goal for employment of individuals with disabilities.1 This survey is part of a larger project entitled Initial Impact of Section 503 Rules: Identifying Effective Employer Practices and Trends in Disability Violations among Federal Contractors funded by the US Department of Labor, Chief Evaluation Office. The overall goal of this project is to understand the initial impact of these regulations on employer practices and consequently on the employment environment for individuals with disabilities. The purpose of the survey summarized in this report is to build an understanding of contractor disability-inclusive policy and practice in initially responding to Section 503 regulations. The survey is titled: What Works? How Federal Contractors Are Implementing Section 503, and is referred to as Section 503 Survey in this report

An efficient pending interest table control management in named data network

Named Data Networking (NDN) is an emerging Internet architecture that employs a new network communication model based on the identity of Internet content. Its core component, the Pending Interest Table (PIT) serves a significant role of recording Interest packet information which is ready to be sent but in waiting for matching Data packet. In managing PIT, the issue of flow PIT sizing has been very challenging due to massive use of long Interest lifetime particularly when there is no flexible replacement policy, hence affecting PIT performance. The aim of this study is to propose an efficient PIT Control Management (PITCM) approach to be used in handling incoming Interest packets in order to mitigate PIT overflow thus enhancing PIT utilization and performance. PITCM consists of Adaptive Virtual PIT (AVPIT) mechanism, Smart Threshold Interest Lifetime (STIL) mechanism and Highest Lifetime Least Request (HLLR) policy. The AVPIT is responsible for obtaining early PIT overflow prediction and reaction. STIL is meant for adjusting lifetime value for incoming Interest packet while HLLR is utilized for managing PIT entries in efficient manner. A specific research methodology is followed to ensure that the work is rigorous in achieving the aim of the study. The network simulation tool is used to design and evaluate PITCM. The results of study show that PITCM outperforms the performance of standard NDN PIT with 45% higher Interest satisfaction rate, 78% less Interest retransmission rate and 65% less Interest drop rate. In addition, Interest satisfaction delay and PIT length is reduced significantly to 33% and 46%, respectively. The contribution of this study is important for Interest packet management in NDN routing and forwarding systems. The AVPIT and STIL mechanisms as well as the HLLR policy can be used in monitoring, controlling and managing the PIT contents for Internet architecture of the future

Designing an online part-time Master of Philosophy with Problem Oriented Engineering

The paper reports on the application of Problem Oriented Engineering (POE) to the design of a highly innovative post-graduate research programme for the Open University, UK, a world leader in supported distance higher education. The new programme, to be launched in October 2009, is a part-time Master of Philosophy (MPhil) to be delivered entirely at a distance, supported by a blend of synchronous, asynchronous and immersive internet and web technologies. POE is a framework for engineering design under development at the Open University. After a brief description of the project and the task at hand, the paper discusses the overall engineering approach taken, key aspects of product design, the mapping between requirements and technology, and the development of one key technological component

Innovation in the Wireless Ecosystem: A Customer-Centric Framework

The Federal Communications Commission’s Notice of Inquiry in GN 09-157 Fostering Innovation and Investment in the Wireless Communications Market is a significant event at an opportune moment. Wireless communications has already radically changed the way not only Americans but people the world over communicate with each other and access and share information, and there appears no end in sight to this fundamental shift in communication markets. Although the wireless communications phenomenon is global, the US has played and will continue to play a major role in the shaping of this market. At the start of a new US Administration and important changes in the FCC, it is most appropriate that this proceeding be launched.

State of the Art on Doctoral Studies in Azerbaijan

After joining the Bologna process in May 2005 in Bergen, Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan elaborated an Action Plan and by the appropriate Order of theMinister of Education “Plan of activities on implementation of the requirements of Bologna Declaration in higher education system of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2006-2010” was adopted. This Plan stipulates modernization of multi-tier system of higher education, transfer to credit system, elaboration of new Diploma Supplement in compliance with UNESCO/Council of Europe. The teaching and methodological leadership over all higher educational institutions functioning in the Azerbaijan Republic, regardless of its type of ownership and subordination, as well as supervision over quality of teaching and learning process at these institutions is conducted by the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Education reports to the Cabinet of Ministers. At today two phases of higher education as proposed in Bologna Declaration was implemented in Azerbaijan higher education system. At the first level of higher education, i.e. at bachelorship level a general course provides opportunity for gaining general scientific, humanities and specialised applied knowledge in the areas covering relevant fields of activity. The duration of full-time bachelor degree education is 4 years. The bachelor degree study is implemented according to teaching plans developed on the basis of standards relevant to certain areas (specialties) and approved by the Ministry of Education. Graduates of bachelor level write degree work and defend it before the State Attestation Committee. Establishment of the second, i.e. master level of higher education in Azerbaijan was implemented during 1997-98 academic year. According to the Education Law of the Azerbaijan Republic, the most talented and promising specialists conferred with bachelor degree are retained in magistracy on a competitive basis. Graduates of higher educational institutions delivering only bachelor level can also apply for participation in competitions for magistracy. Magistracy is delivered full-time and part-time. The official duration of magistracy depends on master education programs and ranges between 1,5-2 (part-time 2,5) years subject to specialty. During the final semester of the magistracy the students defend master thesis. There is an urgent need for Azerbaijan universities to revise the rules and content of organizing doctoral studies - the third level of high education in Azerbaijan within the Bologna process documents in terms of their consistency, especially in ensuring science and research provisions in relevance with EU standards, to fulfill the students' mobility - one of the basic provisions of Bologna process. Figures (number of HEIs and others) in the document may contain minor inaccuracies due to the fact that the Education System of Azerbaijan Republic is still under extensive reform. Restructuring and mergers of HEIs and other changes are continuously implemented

Supporting Multi-agent Coordination and Computational Collective Intelligence in Enterprise 2.0 Platform

In this paper, we propose a novel approach utilizing a professional Social network (Pro Social Network) and a new coordination protocol (CordiNet). Our motivation behind this article is to convince Small and Medium Enterprises managers that current organizations have chosen to use Enterprise 2.0 tools because these latter have demonstrated remarkable innovation as well as successful collaboration and collective intelligence. The particularity of our work is that is allows employer to share diagnosis and fault repair procedures on the basis of some modeling agents. In fact, each enterprise is represented by a container of agents to ensure a secured and confidential information exchange between intra employers, and a central main container to connect all enterprises’ containers for a social information exchange. Enterprise’s container consists of a Checker Enterprise Agent (ChEA), a Coordinator Enterprise Agent (CoEA) and a Search Enterprise Agent (SeEA). Whereas the central main container comprises its proper agents such as Selection Agent (SA), and a Supervisor Agent (SuA). JADE platform is used to allow agents to communicate and collaborate. The FIPA-ACL performatives have been extended for this purpose. We conduct some experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of our approach